1. What Is Proposal Writing
A matter of understanding your situation
A process of deliberation
An act of match making
An act of persuasion
An act of selling
An entrepreneurial endeavor
A way of life

2. Understanding Yourself
Your current situation/need/problem
causes
problems
effects or potential consequences
Your desired situation
ideal state
potential benefits

3. Understanding Your Client
Their philosophy
Their need
Their desired state
Their benefits

4. Making the Match Your Situation Their Situation Your Proposal Your
Desired State
Their
Desired State

5. Raising Expectations Give a mouse a cookie
And he’ll ask you for a glass of milk
Give your audience a problem
And they’ll ask for a solution

6. Meeting Expectations If you promise your mouse a cookie,
You’d better have a cookie.
If you propose to do a project,
You’d better show why you’re qualified to do it.

7. A Taxonomy of Proposals
Unsolicited Proposals
internal proposals
business proposals
partnership proposals
contract proposals
dissertation proposals
Solicited Proposals
conference proposals
foundation proposals
government r&d proposals
book proposals
contract proposals

8. A Different Taxonomy Analytic Proposals Service/Product Proposals
Research proposals
R&D proposals
Consulting proposals
Service/Product Proposals
Service proposals
Product proposals